Bobbie pin opener



Feb. 3, 1942. v. 1 HILDEBRAND 2,271,755

BOBBIE PIN OPENER Filed June 18,` 1941 QWENTOR V270@ div/Mw@ mwf ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 3, 1942 UNITED `S'FATES PATENT OFFICE l 2,271,765 y Y ROBBIE PIN OPENER Virginia L. Hildebrand, Sacramento, Calif.

Application June 18, 1941, Serial No. 398,597

(C1. isz- 1) I 6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in bobbie pin openers, and its primary object is to provide an improved implement for spreading the legs of a bobbie pin and holding them in a separated position while the pin is inserted in a womans hair.

A bobbie pin is a type of hairpin designed primarily for use with bobbed or short hair. Iut is made from springy steel and its parallel legs are normally in yieldable engagement with one another along a considerable part of their length. To properly position the device in the hair, it is usually necessary to spread its legs apart and then insert them, while in a separated position, in the hair. The legs of the bobbie pin are sometimes diiiicult to separate and hold apartJ because of the resiliency of the material from which the pin is made, and it frequently happens that a womans fingernail is broken or disgured while placing a pin in her hair.

My invention has been designed for the purpose of providing an inexpensive implement capable ofy avoiding the difficulties now accompanying the use of bobbie pins, and one which will considerably facilitate the insertion `of a pin of this kind in the hair without ydanger of injuring ones fingernail. I

Other and further objects of my invention will be pointed out hereinafter, or will be indicated in `the appended claimsor will be obvious to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the present disclosure. For the purpose of this application I have elected to show herein certain forms and details of a bobbie pin opener representative of my invention; it is to be understood, however, that the embodiments of my invention herein shown and described are for the purposes of illustration only, and that therefore it is not to be regarded as exhaustive of the variations of the invention, nor is it to be given an interpretation such as might have the effect of limiting the claims short of the true and most comprehensive scope of the invention in the art.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view of an implement embodying the preferred principles of my invention, showing the spreader elements together and in the initial engaging position with respect to a bobbie pin;

Fig, 2 is a side View of the implement, showing the spreader elements separated and in a position in which the bobbie pin is held with its legs spaced from one another;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, the numerals I and 2 designate elongated shanks having finger engageable loops I' and 2 thereon. 'I'he shanks I and 2 are provided, respectively, with liattened portions la and 2a, and at 3 these portions are pivotally connected together. The shank I, at 4, is bent so its flattened portion Ia extends across the flattened portion 2a of the shank 2. The flattened portion Ia ispreferably disposed at a suitable angle, say, at about thirty-five degrees, with respect to the other part of the shank I. Formed on the outer end of the flattened portion Ia. of the shank I is a short spreader element 5 which is dispos-ed at an angle of approximately ninety degrees with respect to the said attened portion.

The upper side of the short spreader element 5 is provided with a longitudinal groove, and its lower side is preferably curved and partially rounded at its free end. The short spreader element 5 is adapted to extend through and engage with the looped end of a bobbie pin A.

The upper part of the shank 2, at 6, is suitably bent so as to cause a long spreader element 1 which it carries to be positioned in substantially parallel and contacting relation with respect to the short spreader element when the loops I and 2 are in adjacent positions, as shown in Fig, 1. The long spreader element l is considerably longer than the short spreader element 5, and its shape is such that it gradually increases in thickness commencing from the part thereof which fits in thel longitudinal groove of the short spreader element to its outer end. The particular part of the long spreader element 'I which is Y adapted to t in the groove of the short spreader element is of considerably less width than that part located at its freefend. The sides of the long spreader element are preferably rounded and s mooth, thereby permitting a free sliding movement to be effected with respect to the opposed inner surfaces of the legs of the bobbie pin A, when the spread-er elements are moved apart.

In operation, a bobbie pin A is rst slipped over the free ends of the engaging spreader elements 5 and 'l and then positioned substantially in the manner shown in Fig. 1. To cause a spreading of the legs of the bobbie pin, the looped ends I and 2 with a persons rst nger and thumb therein, are moved apart. As the shanks I and 2 are thereby moved about the pivot 3, the short spreader element 5 and the long spreader element 1 are simultaneously carried away from each other. As the spreader elements are moved apart, the looped end of the bobbie pin A is carried with the short spreader element in a direction away from the long spreader element. As the looped end of the bobbie pin gradually changes its relative position with respect to the long spreader element, the latter slides toward the free ends of the legs of the pin and at the same time the said pin slides along the long spreader element toward the latters free and enlarged end. As these movements take place, the legs of the bobbie pin are gradually separated, until, when the spreader elements are in the relative positions shown in Fig. 2, the said legs are suitably separated for insertion into the hair of the woman using the device. Upon the insertion of the bobbie pin in the hair, the spreader elements may be disengaged from the looped end of the said pin by first bringing them together and then slipping them from the looped end of the pin without disturbing the lposition of the latter in the hair. The operation of the nger-engageable loops l and `2 controls the movement of the spreader elements either toward or away from each other.

Having described my invention, what I claim Y f1. A bobbie pin opener comprising a pair of pivoted Shanks, each having nger-engaging means at an end thereof, and a spreader element carried by the opposite end of each shank, the said spreader elements being angularly disposed .with respect to the shanks and arranged so they engage with one another when the finger-engaging Ameans are adjacent one another and the AShanks are in substantial parallel relation, the said spreader elements when positioned in engagement being adapted to be insertedthrough the looped end of a bobbie pin, and one of the spreader elements having an increasing thickness commencing near the end Where it rjoins its associated shank and ending 'at a point near its .free end.

2. A bobbie pin opener comprising a pair of pivoted Shanks, each having ringer-engaging .meansat an end thereof, and a spreader element i carried by the opposite end of each shank, the

.said spreader elements being .angularly disposed :and being so lproportioned and arranged that :when in engagement with one another they are adapted lto be inserted through the looped end of a bobbie pin, the longer of the two spreader elements having anincreasngthickness commencing near the end where it joins its associated shank and ending at a point near its free end.

3. A bobbie pin opener comprising a pair of pivoted shanks, and spreader elements carried at `adjacent ends of the shanks, the said spreader elements being angularly disposed with respect to the Shanks and arranged and positioned so they engage with one another when the Shanks are disposed in certain relative positions, the said spreader elements when positioned in engagement being adapted to be inserted through the looped end of a bobbie pin, and one of the spreader elements having an increasing thickness commencing near the end where it joins its associated shank and ending at a point near its free end.

4. A bobbie pin opener comprising a pair of pivotedshanks, and spreader elements carried at adjacent ends of the shanks, the said spreader elements being angularly disposed with respect Vto the Shanks and arranged and positioned so they engage with one another `when the Shanks are disposed in certain relative positions, the said spreader elements having unequal lengths and being so proportioned and arranged that .when in engagement with one another they are adapted to be inserted through the looped end of a bobbie pin, the longer of the two spreader lelements having an increasing thickness commencing near the end where it joins its associated shank and ending at a point near its free end.

5. In a bobbie pin opener, a pair of pivoted Shanks, and spreader elements carried at adjacent ends of the shanks, the said spreader elements being angularly disposed with respect to the shanks and adapted to be inserted through the looped end of a bobbie pin when in certain relative positions, one ofthe Spreader Velements having a gradually increasing thickness commencing near one end thereof.

6. In a bobbie pin opener, a pair of pivoted VShanks, ringer-engaging means at'adjacentends of thesh'anks for moving the flatter about their pivot, and spreader elements at the opposite adjacent ends of the Shanks, the said spreaderelements being angularly disposed with respect to the shanks and adapted to be inserted through vthe looped end of a bobbie pin when `in certain relative positions, one of the spreader elements having 'a gradually increasing thickness commencing `near one end thereof, the lsaid last named spreader element being adapted to slidably engage with and separate the legs of the bobbie pin when the said spreader elements are actuated away from each other.

VIRGINIA L. HILDEBRAND. i 

